Charles Clarke has served his time

12.24.40pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 28th Apr 2006

Charles Clarke must go!

The Liberal Democrats have launched a petition calling on Charles Clarke to resign as Home Secretary after 1023 prisoners were wrongly released when they should have been considered for deportation.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Nick Clegg MP said:

"The Home Secretary has still not explained why dangerous criminals, including three murderers and nine rapists, have gone missing, when under existing rules they are supposed to notify the authorities of their address.

"Charles Clarke is right to take responsibility for this fiasco, but wrong to think that he can remain in charge of the Home Office.

"Above all else, this fiasco destroys the Prime Minister's right to lecture others on the need

to take crime seriously.

"How dare Blair and Clarke go round the country telling others how to deal with crime when they can't keep their own house in order.

"They should stop chasing headlines and start chasing criminals instead."

So please come and sign our petition calling for Clarke to go at:- http://www.libdems.org.uk/charles-clarke.html